On 2 December 1838, sixteen-year-old David Leary stole 65lbs of pewter from London tradesman Uzziel Emarmel. Tried at the Old Bailey, he was found guilty and transported for ten years to Van Diemen’s Land. This retelling shows how a boy’s small theft led to exile across the world.
Tag Archives: Legal history
This Day in History: 1 December 1838 — The Servant, the Spoons and the Silver Basket
On 1 December 1838, servant Ludlow Tedder stole two silver spoons and a valuable bread-basket from her master, Fitzowen Skinner. Tried at the Old Bailey later that month, she was convicted and transported for ten years to Van Diemen’s Land. This retelling explores trust, temptation and punishment in Victorian London.
This Day in History: 27 November 1843 — The Teapot and the Daylight Dragnet
On 27 November 1843, Londoner John Lee stood trial at the Old Bailey for stealing a silver tea-pot and sugar-basin from the home of a gentleman. Convicted and sentenced to seven years’ transportation, his story reveals how even domestic theft could result in exile in Victorian Britain.
This Day in History: 13 November 1784 — The Copper Heist in the Night
On the night of 13 November 1784, James Thomas broke into John Parleyman’s London home and stole eighty pounds of copper in a hempen sack. Tried at the Old Bailey in December, he was convicted and transported for seven years. This retelling shows how one night’s burglary became a journey to Australia.
This Day in History: 11 November 1794 — The Tale of the Pewter Pots
On 11 November 1794, John Webb stood trial at the Old Bailey for stealing pewter pots from a London innkeeper. Convicted and sentenced to seven years’ transportation, his story reveals how small acts of tavern theft could send Georgian Londoners halfway across the world.
This Day in History: 4 November 1734 — The Linen Thief in the Basement
On the night of 4 November 1734, Londoner Joan Wayte hung her linen to dry in a basement room and returned to find it stolen. The Old Bailey later tried Emanuel Pim for “theft; burglary” of her washing. This retelling shows how even humble laundry could become serious Georgian crime.
This Day in History: 4 October 1815 — The Hunt Brothers and the Wine Cellar Plot
On 4 October 1815, servants Richard and William Hunt stole silver spoons and wine from their master’s pantry. Tried at the Old Bailey, they were transported for seven years. This lively retelling reveals the perils of temptation and the growing use of transportation in Regency-era British justice.
This Day in History: 28 October 1789 — The Burglar in the Cellar
On 28 October 1789, David Braithwaite was caught halfway through a cellar window after breaking into William Webb’s London home. Tried that same day at the Old Bailey, he was found guilty of burglary and sentenced to seven years’ transportation. This vivid tale captures Georgian justice — clumsy, comic, and cruel.
This Day in History: 24 October 1787 — The Alehouse Quarrel
On 24 October 1787, John Millan stood trial at the Old Bailey for the manslaughter of James Carter after an alehouse quarrel. Witnesses described a single blow and a fatal fall. The jury found him not guilty, ruling the death an accident — a glimpse of mercy in Georgian London’s rough justice.
The Night Before: 22 October 1781 — The Thief in the Alehouse
On the night of 22 October 1781, John Tucker stole a silver watch from a fellow drinker in a London alehouse. Tried at the Old Bailey two days later, he was transported for seven years. This vivid retelling captures the perils of alehouse friendship and Georgian justice.
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